Blank for a shoe



Aug. 25,1959 B. LEVINE 2,900,743

BLANK FOR A SHOE Filed March 15, 1956 BETH LEVINE INVENTOR.

United States Patent C) BLANK FOR A SHOE Beth Levine, New York, NY. Application March 15, 1956, Serial No. 571,754

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-11) This invention relates to a shoe and a blank from which it may be formed, and wherein the tread portion of the outer sole and shoe upper are formed of a unitary piece of leather or similar shoemaking material.

It is an object of this invention to provide a shoe and a blank for forming the same wherein the entire forward or toe portion of the shoe including the shoe upper and the outer sole are formed of a unitary piece of relatively soft, pliable, and flexible shoemaking material to thereby form a soft, pliable, and flexible enclosure for the entire forward portion of the wearers foot which readily conforms itself to the contours and shape thereof and thus provides a very comfortable shoe structure.

It-is also among the objects of this invention to provide a shoe structure wherein the forward or tread portion of the outsole is formed integrally with the corresponding forward portion of the shoe upper, said shoe parts being formed of the same piece of relatively soft, flexible material. The foregoing construction permitting said shoe parts to more completely and comfortably accommodate themselves to the flexural requirements of the shoe during wear and simultaneously providing a soft and flexible tread surface for the foot during walking.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a shoe construction particularly in connection with womens high heeled shoes, wherein a high degree of walking comfort and fit is achieved while retaining all of the desirable ornamental features of highly styled shoes called for by current fashions.

An additional object of this invention is to provide a shoe of the character indicated which may be readily, economically and efliciently manufactured while providing the enhanced comfort features, above indicated.

Other and further objects of this invention will become apparent from the description thereof contained in the annexed specification, or will otherwise become obvious. It will be understood that the invention here disclosed may be employed for other purposes to which the structure and arrangement are adapted.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of a blank from which a shoe may be constructed in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top view of a shoe constructed from a blank such as illustrated in Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a side elevational view of the shoe shown in Figure 2.

In its general aspects the instant invention contemplates the construction of a shoe in the conventional manner. In conventional shoe construction an inner sole is first mounted upon a suitable last. Inner soles of the type usually employed in womens high heeled shoes comprise a relatively thin sheet of flexible leather or composition material which is provided with a stiffening board adhered to the shank portion thereof. The stiffening board is shaped and dimensioned so that it overlies the shank and heel portions of the inner sole and terminates short of the ball of the foot of the wearer. The

the assembled inner sole.

ice

stiffening board thus defines a transverse line of flexure or break line for the shoe sole. A steel stiffening shank is also secured along the stiffened shank portion of the inner sole to impart additional rigidity thereto. The shoe upper, which has been previously sewn, and which is formed of a relatively soft, pliable and flexible sheet of leather or similar material, is then mounted upon the last. The lower marginal edges of the shoe upper overlie the exposed surface of the inner sole and are secured thereto. In conventional shoe construction a relatively heavy and stiff outer sole is applied over the en- The resultant construction provides a relatively stifi forward or tread portion for the shoe sole which merges rearwardly into a rigid shank portion. The stiffness of the outer sole resists flexure along the break line thereof thus increases the effort required in walking and the consequent fatigue to the wearer.

The instant invention, contemplates the employment of a shoe upper formed integrally with the forward or tread portion of the outer sole. The material of which said upper and the tread or forward outer sole is formed, is soft, pliable and flexible and is of the type generally employed for the manufacture of shoe uppers. Since the forward or tread portion of the outer sole is formed of readily flexible material it forms a break line for the shoe which requires a minimum amount of effort to flex in use. The flexibility of the shoe upper and outer-sole follows the contours of the foot of the wearer and adds materially to ease of walking.

The construction of a shoe upper and forward outer sole as an integral unit from a single piece of material is accomplished by the employment of a pattern or blank of the character illustrated in Figure l of the drawings. The blank illustrated is formed of a soft, pliable, and flexible sheet of leather or similar material such as is for example employed in the manufacture of shoe uppers. The blank is of generally triangular outline and comprises a central apex portion 10 from which wing portions 11 and 12 extend and form the base of the generally triangular shape of the blank. A pair of gorelike notches 13 and 14 are formed in the base edge of said blank at the juncture of said central apex portion 10 with said wings 11 and 12. There is thus formed a rearwardly projecting triangular tongue or tab 15 positioned substantially centrally of the base edge 16 of said blank. It will be apparent that when the confronting side edges 17 and 18 of notch 13 and the confronting sides 19 and 20 of notch 14 are united with one another, as by sewing, the wing portions of the blank are raised to a position substantially at right angles to the plane of the central portions of the blank. The wings thus comprise the side or quarter portions of the shoe while the central portion 10 of the blank comprises the tread portion of the outer sole as well as the corresponding forward or toe portion of the shoe, all as will more clearly appear hereafter. By tread portion of the outer sole is meant that portion thereof which contacts the ground in walking and standing. The converging side edges of the apex formed by central portion 10 of the blank are formed with a series of inwardly directed gorelike notches 20, 21, 22 and 23 thereby defining a plurality of perimetrically disposure tabs 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 in said side edges. The apexes of the gorelike notches 20, 21, 22, and 23 are directed inwardly toward the central portion of the blank and the points or apexes of the notches delineate the configuration of the outsole portion which is to be formed from said blank. In erecting the blank to shoe form the tabs 24, 25, 26, 27, and 28 are raised and the confronting edges of the tabs are then united as by stitching to form the enclosed forward or toe portion of a shoe. The formation of the 3 shoe upper is then completed by stitching the free ends 29 and 30 of the wings to each other to conform to the heel counter. The erected blank is positioned upon a shoe last which has been prepared with the inner sole 32 and shank assembly as heretofore indicated. The marginal portions of the base edges 16 of the blank are laid against the shank portions of the inner sole and secured thereto with the edges of said marginal portions abutting. The shank area of the lasted shoe is covered by conventional materials and methods. The heel 33 is mounted thereon and the other usual shoe finishing operations are performed.

The resulting shoe is illustrated in Figures 2 and 3. It should be noted that the tab 15 extends into and overlays the rigid shank portion of the shoe as indicated by the broken lines in Figure 2. This permits an efficient joint to be formed between the tread and shank portions of the outer sole and also permits the break line of the sole to occur in the region of the apexes of notches 13 and 14 to thus provide a very readily flexible sole arrangement. Additionally it should be noted from said figures that by forming the forward portion of the shoe upper from a central or toe tab 26 flanked by side tabs 24 and 25 on one side and side tabs 27 and 28 on the other; it is possible to follow very closely the contour of the forward part of the wearers foot and to obtain a glovelike fit for the shoe. It should also be noted that the outer side edges of the tabs 27 and 28 are in alignment as are the outer side edges of tabs 24 and 25. These tabs form substantially straight line side edges for the central or apex portion in the blank which straight lines converge toward the point of tab 26. The result of this triangular or straight line convergence is that when the upper portion of the blank is sewn together a straight line of sewing extends longitudinally of the toe of the shoe and meets the apex of tab 26 which forms a toe plug therefor. The result is that a very desirable, highly ornamental appearance is simultaneously achieved. The resultant shoe construction provides a forward portion for the shoe wherein the upper and outer sole are integrally formed with one another thereby providing a soft, socketlike enclosure for the forward part of the foot wherein both the outer sole and the shoe upper conform themselves continuously and smoothly to the shape of this portion of the foot. The shoe encompasses the entire forward part of the foot closely and eliminates the feeling of stiffness resulting from the conventional hard and relatively inflexible conventional outer sole and the combination of differing materials. Conventional shoe construction, as herein above pointed out, requires that a marginal edge of the shoe upper overlap and be secured to the inner sole.

This in itself contributes to stiffness and discomfort in shoes and often requires the incorporation of padding etc. All of these operations and structural requirements are eliminated by the instant shoe thereby contributing materially to the wearing comfort and ease of manufacture of the shoe. It is also significant that by the use of a single piece of material, the entire toe socket has uniform characteristics of softness, flexibility and pliability which consequently gives the entire foot a feeling of barefootedness" which has long been the unachieved aim of the fine shoemaking industry.

I have here shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention. It will be apparent, however, that this invention is not limited to this embodiment, and that many changes, additions and modifications can be made in connection herewith without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as herein disclosed and hereinafter claimed.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A blank for the formation of the toe and vamp of the upper and the forward outersole of a shoe, as well as quarter portions thereof, comprising a unitary piece of flexible material cut out in approximately triangular form and including a square central portion having converging side edges and wing portions extending from two sides of said central portion, said wings comprising the quarter portions of the shoe, notches formed in the rear edge of said blank at the juncture of said central portion with said wing portions, the converging side edges of said central portion comprising the apex portion of said triangle and being formed with inwardly directed notches thereby defining a plurality of perimetrically disposed tabs and intermediate notches along the sides of said triangle, the inwardly directed apexes of said notches extending into said central portion to define points along the perimeter of the tread portion of the outer sole of the shoe, said notches being positioned so that when the confronting edges of said tabs are united with each other there is developed from said blank, prior to the lasting operation, a shoe upper formed integrally with the sole portion thereof and wing portions to comprise the quarter portions of the shoe.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,195,825 Llewellyn Aug. 22, 1916 1,484,285 Abbott Feb. 19, 1924 1,968,740 Bunker July 31, 1934 2,384,927 Julianelli Sept. 18, 1945 2,645,042 Stritter July 14, 1953 

